


The outcast

by FloraForestana



Category: Grimm (TV)
Genre: Blood and Injury, Blood and Violence, Captain Renard's shirtless rage, Drama & Romance, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Flashbacks, Fluff and Angst, Grimm's Fairytales, Heavy Angst, Homicide, Motherhood, Non-Canon Relationship, Post-Season/Series Finale, Semi-Public Sex, Sex, Some German, flashbacks with good ol grams Kelly, heavy kissing/making out, more tags added in process, more to see than the eye meets, new beast in town, shining new wesen action, the other mother - Freeform, verbally hurtful fights
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-20
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:40:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26559874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FloraForestana/pseuds/FloraForestana
Summary: In the end there was peace and they all lived happily ever after. Things go their "usual", wesen way in Portland after the Zerstörer was, well- destroyed. When Nick, Hank and Drew are called to yet another homicide crime scene things rapidly change in the precinct. Old structures are broken up and their new colleague will change Portland for better or worse. The Captain may not have forseen this twist of fate, and it will surely drive him nuts within a blink of those beautiful green eyes.
Relationships: Nick Burkhardt/Adalind Schade, Rosalee Calvert/Monroe, Sean Renard & Original Character(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 16





	1. Once upon a time...

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone. Well this is my first official (online) try as a writer. I got a heck of ideas for this story already. I hope I can post on a monthly basis, depending on my usual workload. Enjoy and comment! I appreciate every teeny weeny bit. This is for all those Sean Renardies out there! The heartless, soulless beast of a bastard prince. Lets give him something more than being a sort of side character with pretty flat characteristics, if you ask me. Not to worry he will be Seanie not something fluffy and smooshy and totally out of character ;) ! First chapter a bit shorter, next ones will be longer I promise.  
> And here comes the disclaimer! I only own my OFC (find out her name later). This is a work of fan fiction using characters and contents from the Grimm world, which is trademarked by NBC and the creators.

"..and they lived happily ever after. The End"  
The book gave a closing thunk. "Mommy?"  
"Yes, honey?"  
"Can people really live happily ever after? It sounds quite...quite..."  
"Cheesy? Well, look honey. I never, ever, ever thought there was a happily ever after for me. I got you now and I really can say for sure: The both of us will live happily ever after. I'll make sure we do someday." I said, gently placed my hand on her crown of golden hair and smiled softly. She was my world. Within the fraction of a second when I looked in those purple, glowing eyes I knew, I would change my life. For her, for everything she deserved to have. Those eyes captured me every time I saw them. The shade of velvety, deep purple; like blooming lilacs in early summer. Like the evening sky when the sun was setting. I felt like I was walking through a field of flowers, the warm breeze in my hair and the cool grass underneath my bare feet. Literally.  
"Mommy?" Diana said pleadingly and pulled at my sleeve.  
Her giggle gave her little magic trick away. "Sorry honey. I got carried away and lost myself again in your eyes. I told you to stop with that mind control, didn't I? I will not elongate your bedtime." I raised an eyebrow and she coyly but knowingly smiled away.  
We had a lot of arguments since she recently had come across her new power. She had played with her dolls. Any child's mind was filled with playing family at that age. I became aware of her voodoo powers when I had an argument on the phone and my opposite out of nowhere agreed to my terms of taking a small leave from work for the next 3 days. "Mommy-y-y-y!" The book flew in swift motions onto the little cupboard above Diana's bed and was set in its usual place.  
"Okay enough for today little princess. Bedtime! Now!" She settled under her blanket and turned of the light on her nighttable. I gave her a kiss and tucked her in. I stood up, leaving the room, silently counting down from three to one.  
"Three, two, one. Mommy can I turn on my nightlamp please? I hate the darkness!" I mimicked her usual, latenight query. She giggled yet again.  
Above her bed little stars lit up in unison with her eyes. Here and there a shooting star flew across the ceiling. From afar owls hooting and the flapping sound of bats could be heard. The slow rustling of the wind in the treetops and cries of foxes and other wild animals were heard too. She was a handful, that much was obvious. No other child had ever set their room alive with a sheer blink of an eye. "Hey Didi, tell me again. Why do you love the sound of the forest so much?"  
I asked standing in the doorway. Light from the living room was pouring through the slightly opened door into Diana's room. "Because I was born there, remember?" 

Settling into my armchair I grabbed the decanter with my favourite french wine. The velvety and rich flavor of grapes, cassis and a hint of vanilla flowed down my throat and filled my head with memories. My time in France, the vineyards in Bretagne and the scent of fresh fruits and vegetables being on display at the local market, set in that small town centre. Children smiling at their parents, holding on to their hands and babbling about school, summer break and their childish weekend plans of playing outside. How happy they seemed. "..and they lived happily ever after. Tsk. Bloody romantics. As if. A freaking nightmare not a fairytale. The Brother's Grimm set yet another wishful world into the heads of ordinary humans. Clever guys they were for sure." Another sip, pushing the memories far and further away, deep in the back of my head where they belonged. My mother didn't like to talk about France and the events that lead up to me being there in that "clinic". Was it shame for having failed her daughter? Was it because she was afraid of or for me? Afraid that my abilities were unlike anything any mom could ever handle? Would want to handle? Was she afraid to find me dead in my bed because there was no cure for my ailment? My mother was a closed book to me. Never talked about our family, holidays and trivial things. Do this, don't do that. Get out of my sight. Don't come near me. You don't understand that. "I will never understand you, bloody witch! Argh!" I shouted across the silent living room to nobody, immediatly scolding myself for forgetting that Diana was asleep next door.  
My mother drove me insane. But hey, don't all mothers do that from time to time? She was an especially cold-shouldered and silent specimen though. The light of my vanilla-candles glinted in the small object on the table as I lifted it from its place. I played with the golden necklace in between my fingers. Such a small token. A long lost memory of somebody that meant more to me than he would ever be able to know. Giving it back to the one it truly belonged to was no option. Diana loved it to bits and I wasn't in any mood for yet another tantrum. Things got broken in the process, flying up and above in the room and I loved my wine bottles and antiques too much. A picture was inside the oval shaped pendant: Nick Burkhardt, only into his teens, maybe 13 years old. The other side of the necklace was empty, remnants of old, yellowed glue could be seen on the edges of the oval shell. It once held yet another picture for sure. Somebody purposefully forgotten and cut out of this little token. Shunned from that life and family. Cut out from the memories that belonged to it. I smiled dryly, my thumb brushing over the glue and the edges of the pendant. I discarded the item on the small table. 

__________________________________________________________  
In a land far, far away another person had a hard time falling asleep. With a glass of his favourite wine from France in his hand he stepped onto his balcony watching the city silently glimmering beneath his feet. The velvety liquid ran down his throat and filled him with the usual warming sensation. The wine was no average evening drink. It was a secret he held dearly. One almost forgotten like a washed out and old photograph in a broken frame. He could make out bits and pieces of itas the whole situation was but a rushed and short encounter. A small french town. He looked down on all those happy people in the town centre. Laughing, enjoying there lives and going on about as if the world held no dangers and dreads here. But he could see them all. He saw beyond their smiles and gentle talks. Saw the dark shadows in the nearby alleys creeping ever closer to him. He could not stay long here as it was too dangerous for him and his mother. They were running, ever running and not knowing where to. He wished for his live to be like the french people's. Meaningless, one of many regular lives, but a safe one.  
The memory was soon pushed back by the red wine. He snorted and turned to walk back inside, but his mind drifted away yet only for one last nostalgic moment. That little girl in the town square. Her gaze was all he remembered. It mirrored his pained self when their eyes met for a brief moment and she gave him the littlest of smiles, though a weary one. As if she said "I can see the darkness too. I know how you feel." Such a small child she was to him then. Her pained expression was imprinted into his memory forever.  
Dark circles under her eyes. The looked hollow to him, like two gaping dark holes set into a heartshaped and pale face. He turned around once more and watched the city beneath him. "Sleep well Diana, mon coeur." he said to nobody and closed the doors behind himself.


	2. ...there was a very lonely police captain.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for being late (if anybody was waiting for an upload?). This chapter is a little longer to make up for being later as planned. Here comes our heroine. Do I have recurring readers here or passer-bys? ;) Next chapter will be there in a week. Thanks to all those that have already (maybe accidently) read my first chap and left my verey first kudos. Very much appreciated

„It’s Monday twentyfirst of October and you are listening to radio… “  
„Nope, definitely don’t need your news today. Where’s my cell? “I turned off my radio and looked around for my cell. I needed some music to cheer me up on my first day at my new workplace.   
Walking into the bathroom I connected my cell with my bluetooth loudspeakers and hit that button to my personal playlist. „How about you today Freddie? Let`s go! “ I said and started my Queen playlist.   
„Let’s go. Steve walks wearily down the street, with his brim pulled way down low…“the song blurred whilst I danced in my bathroom getting ready.   
„First day Kara, give it your best efforts. “I sighed, took a deep breath and my steaming hot curler. I surely wasn’t someone to look on point every day. Dressed to impress? If a ponytail, jeans and a black Tee do the magic I was freaking Dumbeldore at it. The song changed to Killer Queen. That should have been me today. Instead I had burned my finger twice while curling up a strand of hair. I took my pale, yellow dress out of the suitcase. Seemingly the last fresh thing I had to wear. Well, why not? If there was only some meeting people and drinking tea that day I could go for it. No chasing men down the street or running through thickets and muddy puddles. The little flowers on it made me look pretty innocent, and kind-hearted and as fragile as the petals of roses. I would describe myself as distanced and always with a greater plan in mind. Not the always cute and always smiling type of woman. Not that there would be anything wrong with that.  
I slipped into the dress which reached mid calves and put on some mahogany brown stilettos (killer height).   
I put on light make up. „Hair looks fine, not gonna ruin this day with some crappy made make-up. Phew, perfume. Which one? “After applying some of my favourite I looked at myself in the mirror. „Hmm, I am satisfied. What do you think cherie? “I said to my cat, who had entered my bedroom a few minutes prior to my very hasty and powdery-smelling extravaganza of dressing myself for the day. The perfume had done a great job too. I already was sweating again because I was so nervous and under pressure. „Not talking much today huh, Lillith? “He went out and about. He didn’t like the hotel we currently were forced to live in. Too cramped in a space. The house I had bought still needed some work done, mostly the kitchen area, so much we couldn’t yet move in. I had already found a small local business. Well it was one man to be exact, but he assured me that he had a lot of family in the same business, who could help anytime if necessary.  
„Oh merde. Why the fucking hell did my hair take so long to be done? I gotta go cherie. See ya later crocodile. “I grabbed my bullet journal and bag and ran outside to the lift, heels clacking aggressively on the marble floor of the corridor. I nervously pushed the button a gazillion times. „C’mon. C’mon. Well damn it. I take the stairs.“ I took of my heels and ran down the stairs very much ladylike in my dress and make-up, but screw it. I needed a cuppa tea before going to the meeting with the chief in command. Tea had calming properties which I needed desperately. I run on tea and some good food.  
I arrived 10 minutes earlier than my scheduled time. Right after exiting the cab in front of the precinct I saw a little truck with bold letters implying they had hot beverages. „Please, please Earl Grey. Momma needs her caffeine. “My watch was ticking away on my wrist. 6 minutes left. I was staring down on my watch in a haste as I ran head first into somebody huge. At first it felt like I had hit a marble statue and now I was on the gravel floor, my notebook spread across the dirt, hands throbbing with pain. Ouch.   
„Here let me help you up. “A big hand entered my vision. The sun was low enough that I could see nothing but a tremendously tall shadow arched over me. The voice was deep yet sounded very gentle. A little raspy maybe? His voice I can only compare to honey; it sounded like liquid sex. I was impressed. There seemed to be some handsome people around town in the end. My facial expression was probably priceless as I stared at the man who surely was a model for some sports magazine. His crisp white shirt was stretched over his lean, muscular torso. He must have been something over 6 foot 4. Muscles, marble, goodness he was David come to live. Not even Michelangelo could have done it better. What it must feel like being pinned between him and a cold stone wall, his lips and hands all over you. Make-up and hairdo forgotten. I blinked rapidly. How long was I in my head? Awkward, just awkward Kara. I scolded myself forgetting yet again that there was somebody in front of me giving me a helping hand.  
„Sorry I ran into you. I hate being late and didn’t pay attention to ... “I took his hand gladly and gave my best to find my contenance.   
„It’s fine. I was in a hurry too. “He interrupted me and motioned his head to the coffee truck. „I think we were heading the same direction though. “A gentle smile played around his face and the sunlight bathed his slightly olive toned skin in a golden sheen. It would be easy to just say he was a sexy looking hunk of a man and that I was smitten by him within the blink of those dark eyes of his. Okay well, I was. He helped me up and gathered my journal.   
„Do you work nearby? “he asked, checking me up and down.  
„Worst pick-up line I have heard in a very long time, I have to say. “I grinned at him knowing all too well it was not what he had meant. A little voice in my head hoped that he was speaking seriously. He mustered me up and down more than necessary. Probably checking for injuries? Maybe checking out if he liked what he saw. He should have been at loss for words. A smirk played around his mouth. He wasn’t checking for injuries at all. And oh, how I liked the thought of it. I craved to know what was in his head right at that moment. A small part still hoped it had to do with less clothing.  
„I start today at the precinct, if that answers your question. “I gave him the sweetest smiles I had, coyly looking down playing with my hair. Stop flirting KK.   
A phone rang. We both looked on ours. „My call. “he said and went a few steps away. I turned and ordered a cuppa black tea. The girl in the truck looked quite dumbfounded when I asked her if she had any semi-skimmed milk in there for my tea to go with. I’m a sucker for all things British food though I wasn’t born there. I had my back turned to the man I previously ran into and accidentally eavesdropped on some things. I couldn’t help it. He intrigued me like no other man had in a very, very, tremendously long time. He was cursing the man on the phone and said that he was on his way already.   
The girl in the truck also listened to his call. Hearts appearing in her eyes. As she noticed my knowing look, she quickly turned around cleaning her counters.  
When I turned around, cup in my hand he was long out of my sight. „He is handsome, but a real beast of a man. Always holds his nose high in the air. Too high for any woman to ever go out with him here. Not that I care much, but he forgot his coffee. “I offered my help and as there were some new customers needing her attention she accepted. With a heavy sigh tough. She surely would have enjoyed delivering it herself, with her cell number on the cup.  
As I took a sip of my tea, which by the way was awful and the reason why I immediately dumped it in the nearby thrash, I entered the building. I took a sniff at his cup. Coffee for sure, but a hell of a brew. It smelled like straight coffee beans, bitter, a roasted smell and pitch black. I grimaced at the smell. The cup read in big, bold letters: C.R.  
Being in my head again I didn’t notice the guy in front of me, as I had already entered the building of the South Precinct in Portland. „Ah, you must be Kara Caulder? Right? I’m sergeant Drew Wu. The Chief asked me to show you around. He has to uhm… settle a view things before you arrive upstairs.“  
„Hello, a pleasure to meet you sergeant. It’s Cauldron, like the thing that witches cook their brews in. “  
„Sorry I got that wrong. Funny name you have there. Let me show you around our precinct and where you will find the important stuff like the extremely bad but overly, pricey coffee-machine and the extremely chic bathrooms paying hommage to the 60s. “  
He turned on his heel. „Soooo… “His phone rang. „What, no the chief said I need to show…of course. No, she will find her way around a totally new buildi…What the heck? I’ll be right there before you can say Drew Wu. “   
„Ha sorry. New, very bloody, very horrific case. They are helpless without me. They don’t know what to do first without me. Take the elevator. 4th floor. End of corridor. I’m terribly sorry and owe you a cup of good coffee. “And with that he ran away, leaving me in the lobby. I took the elevator to the 4th floor just a split second later than Sergeant Wu. Up it went.  
Ding, the doors swung open. I stepped into the corridor. People hurried their way. Away from the offices that were located at the end of the long corridor. They avoided everything and everybody. Something was amiss.  
„I don’t care about the new captain’s good reputation. We don’t need a second one here. Thank you“ A voice roared. The office was dead silent. Nobody dared to move or make loud noises.   
„This will surely be over in a few days chief. I will not accept this without a fight. What do I care about the higher ups. They know nothing about my precinct. And they have never cared what we actually needed. “  
A few suspects were seated along the sides of the room. It seems that this office had multiple functions. Separated from all the other desks was a small office. Surely the Captain’s office.   
„Ah, here she is. Captain Renard, this is your new…well…team-captain. Captain Kara Cauldron. Kara this is Captain Sean Renard. You will be working in a pair with him from now on. He definitely will appreciate your expertise. I hope you don’t mind that you not yet have your own office but I already talked to Captain Renard here and he gladly takes you into his very spacious one right over there.“ He chuckled, trying to avoid the elephant in the room as if nothing happened. I played along. I knew beforehand, that I would be some sort of spy on the recent Captain in the South Precinct. He was a candidate for mayor in Portland, but as things spiraled around him, he had to resign soon after he was elected. The reasons given were of private reasons as much as political issues. In a TV interview he had stated, that after the assassination on his rival he wanted a safer job, to protect his family. Rumor had it, that the assassination was planned and acted by Renard’s former media relation vamp-girl- Rachel Wood. He resigned. And as there seemed to be no better job offer, went back to the precinct. How being a police captain was less dangerous for his family was a mystery to me.  
Running into him this morning was no coincidence. He always had a black coffee from the truck at 6.30 am sharp before he went upstairs into his office. He then checked on some files from the day before, had his coffee and made a phone call to his daughter around 7.30am. People around him used words like self-serving, cold, arrogant, strict to describe his nature. I had checked on him before I said yes to coming to Portland. He was a crucial part in my plan, therefore I needed to see his true face.  
There is always another face to everyone. It can rarely be seen, only when they do not keep their emotions in place. For someone with such a taught schedule, a surprise attack was needed to make his world fall apart. So I had planned my honey trap and well- he literally walked right into my net. Now he felt trapped, like a spider’s prey and his only way out was to use the momentum and flee or fight. He fought, not knowing that I too had my own aims set. I had seen his face, a short glimpse of it. The real one. A much gentler one. A gentleman through and through. Learned but also lived. He had surely learned etiquette somewhere but it was not just simply that he remembered his lectures: They were part of his nature. Set into his marble body. Gosh. I wanted to be the one in control here, yet he made my world spin as well.   
He now didn’t look so gentle and nice anymore, shouting at his chief. Colder as ice and in full rage, making him look ugly and distorted. I wasn’t so sure if the big, bad wolf would now swallow little Red-Riding-Hood but I sure felt like it. Pun intended. Got it? Because I have copper-red hair that fall down to my waist like… like a…hood? Forget it.  
„It’s nice meeting you again Captain.“ I extended my hand to him. Lesson’s learned- he was being polite answering my offer. Though it did not mean peace yet.  
„I got a case that needs my attention. Goodbye chief. See yourself out. “Bad, bad Captain Renard. What about chivalry now? I had him where I wanted him- boiling like a cauldron.  
And at that he left. His voice dripped venom as he spitted his farewell at us. I looked at the chief with an accusatory gaze and he avoided it. What’s done is done. I could not change the decisions as to why I was transferred here in the first place, nor did I want to. The Captain and I had to come to terms sooner or later.  
Which was easy now that he was forced by hierarchy to take me into his office like a stray cub without a home. I looked around for an empty table, not yet willing for an intrusion into his space- his office- his last sanctuary.   
„I am terribly sorry Kara, he just n…“ the chief tried to talk himself out. I silenced him „We knew he wouldn’t take it lightly. I wouldn’t if I were him. I’ll make it work.“ I patted his shoulder. „Thank you Kara, really, thank you. I owe you.“ He bowed as I pushed him out of the office. He turned on his heels and with swift steps went for the elevator. I clapped my hands: Let’s get to work.  
„Deep breath Kara.“ I whispered to myself. „Can I have everybody’s attention please. Hi. Uhm… I guess you already heard that I was just transferred to Portland P.D. from my studies abroad in Europe. My name is Kara Cauldron and I will be your new counsellor in anything psychological and mental health issues as I will team up with your Captain. I don’t really see the point in two Captains but anyways. I luckily am a bookworm and had the opportunity to major in some fields. So, make good use of the knowledge I have to offer you. If you need anything, research, a cuppa tea or a shoulder to cry on, don’t come to me you have your Captain Renard for that. “I winked making my sarcasm obvious just in case some people here were slow minded. „Of course, I can also help with case related research and the regular police stuff. But I think your Captain is still your first source at that. Let’s get to work again everybody. “With that I made myself busy and helped out where I could, reorganized files, made coffee, cleaned off some dust here and there, made some more coffee.   
Around four-ish in the afternoon my phone rang. „Hi this is Bud Wurstner, you know the, the guy you ordered to finish well a lot of things, your kitchen for example but not only that. And…“  
„Hello Mr Wurstner. How is my kitchen faring? You sure can’t be done with all the work already, am I right? “  
„Well, if it is inconvenient for you I could,uh, have a look at your bathroom and if everything is working fine there. But, uhm, yes, I have finished my work and wanted you to know. And…Well…That’s it. “This guy was just hilarious. He was like a squirrel, very nervous, always shrieked at every noise that came out of nowhere. I sighed heaviely. Thank god my new house was ready to be moved in. „I’ll be there in 30 minutes. Thank you very much for your fast work Mr. Wurstner. Leave the keys in the letterbox. I’ve got my code to enter the house. Have a nice day and thank you again for your fast work.“  
I grabbed my bag and hastily went for the elevator.  
„He was especially rude today. On his birthday. He went hard on her for sure. Well, that new She-Captain sure is hot. I wouldn’t mind going hard on her too.” My eyeballs were about to fall out of my brain from rolling. Stupid, lowly primats. Was sex the only thing men had in their minds when seeing such an innocently dressed lady? So it was the Captains birthday. Though I had done my little research on him, as he surely had done on me by now- I should keep that in mind. Short-tempered. I walked past the guys. 

Later that day…

„Such a horrible sight. She was still so bloody young. And surely a beauty before that thing ripped her into pieces. You think it’s wesen Nick?“   
„Sure is. No human weapon could do that. But why would he put her on display in a public space like that, where there are many people day and night as much as cameras. It sure wasn’t the best idea. We will just check the cameras tomorrow and see what we got. Three cases in one month. I thought it would be quieter now after the last battle. Maybe it’s some tribal thing. Taking the hair sounds like battle trophies like native Americans used to take the scalp.“ Nick sighed.“Eww, don’t talk about that Nick. It still gives me chills down my spine. It reminds me more of our Jack the Ripper case. Slicing the victim open and…“ Hank replied. „Can’t be helped. Hey Hank I thought there was a new guy that should have started his duty today with us. Have you seen or heard anything from our new guy?“  
„Her. And not another detective I’m afraid, but another Captain as Chief Blunt put it so bluntly this morning. You were at the crime scene already. Her name is Kara Cauldron and she just came back from some studies abroad in Europe.“ Captain Renard said as he too entered the now empty office, which was still damply lid here and there.   
„Wow, do you already have her cell-number. You sure know a hell lot about her Captain.“Hank said mockingly. Captain Renard’s gaze could have melted him into a puddle right there and then for the rude remark. Instead he only replied: „Go home. See you tomorrow morning, with a clear mind.“ He emphasized the “clear” for Hank. And at that, he entered his office, looking around as to take in his own crime scene and analyzing if the new „Captain“ had already altered his precinct into something unrecognizable. He couldn’t find any traces of external intrusion and sat down in front of his laptop. After he had logged into his account the scent of double-shot espresso and coffee americano hit his nose. There was a cup of hot coffee and a muffin with a candle on it on his table, still steaming. Bold, swung letters read „Happy Birthday Cap.“ He sighed and leaned back in his chair sipping his coffee.  
He opened his laptop, unlocked it, opened the files from the previous related cases. Comparing bits and pieces to find any relation between them except for the obvious massacre.   
His mind trailed off to the woman he had run into this morning. He had known who she was. Someone had informed him of the upcoming intrusion. That’s when he had planned to test her. He needed to see her true face. With a Grimm in his precinct he did not want a Wesen in his team. It was hard enough to keep the ones that already worked here at bay. What he found this morning was unexpected. He feared to recall the feeling that had welled up inside of him. He was cruel, cold-hearted and selfish. Yet as he purposefully ran into her this morning her aura- there was no other word to describe it- gave him a weird sensation. It felt like being bathed in old memories; her face seemed familiar to him. Her copper hair, the scent of thyme and lavender. Yet her eyes were empty. To ordinary people she might seem charming and forthcoming, but she was dead to him. Cold deep inside, without any light or live. A walking dead. Ohhh how he was drawn to her weird self. He had fled the building as soon as the feeling was close to overcome him again. He hated her for making him feel intrigued. He knew himself all too well. No woman ever- not even his old lovers like Catherine and Adalind- had ever intrigued him. They were what he needed- bodies for his pleasure. Kara on the other hand felt different. Her dark aura was unlike anything he had ever encountered. He felt like when a Wesen looked into a Grimm’s eyes- pulled into his dark self, no way out of those black abysses, mirroring his feelings tenfold. Pinching the bridge of his nose and sighing heavily Sean tried to rid his mind of Kara. Coffee and a muffin. What was she even trying to accomplish here?   
He closed the laptop, grabbed his trenchcoat and went downstairs for his car. Home. Wine or a whiskey. Silence. He was desperate to erase her from his mind for as long as the night lasted. 

Sean parked his car in front of his house. He liked the fact, that there was only one empty house nearby. No neighbours, just the city, these two houses and the forest behind them. A golden sheen radiated from the house left of his. He dreaded the house was no longer empty.


	3. Under your charm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> „You have come for your Mistress Darling, but that beautiful bird is no longer sitting in her nest, nor is she singing any more.” Grimm's fairytales, Rapunzel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here is Chapter 3. A lot of work recently got into choosing a classic fairytale and encorporating it into my story. There are already a hell lot of Wesen covered by the marvelous writers of the series. I have to say I am impressed after researching that thoroughly. Next chapter will be up this weekend ;) I really wanted to focus on Captain Renards peronality and why he is the way he is. There isn't much known about his upbringing and childhood as a bastard-prince as far as my research has shown. Stay tuned til next time;) little disclaimer. I only own my OFC the rest unfortunately is definitely not from braincells and therefore does not belong to me.

A shrill ringing in my ears woke me from my slumber. The clock showed 2:24am. Who the hell would call me at that time of the night? I reluctantly turned around and grabbed my phone from the nightstand, squeezing my eyes shut to shield them from the harsh light of my cell.  
“It better be important Detective Griffin.”  
“Sorry Captain. I know it’s late. I just got a call from Sergeant Wu. He was out and somebody reported a new body lying in the park. I’m on my way to pick up Nick. You should come too and could you please give me the number of Captain Cauldron? I still need to call her to the crime scene too.”  
“I’ll call her. See you there.”

I sighed heavily, leaving my bed in a haste to get dressed while phoning her.  
Only a mere second the phone rang before a bright and very much awake-sounding voice answered.  
“Give me the location of the body.”  
As I turned off the lights in my corridor, I saw that lights in the house next door were turned off simultaneously. My sixth sense kicked in and told me, that isolation from anything living was impossible from now on.  
I sighed yet again stepping out of the house, letting the door fall shut behind me with a heavy thud.  
“Shall I take you along Cauldron?” I asked her without turning to address her properly.  
Now Captain Cauldron looked at me innocently as she locked her door talking to the floor. She was either a very good actress in playing the role of ´Oh what a coincidence you live here too?` or she really did not check my current address along with all the other information she surely had gathered about me before her arrival in Portland. The gentle smile that now played her features told me my first equation was right.

The drive was uneventful. She was looking out of the window quietly. I didn’t complain. I had said to her what I wanted the day before and that was that. She had her hands tightly interlocked, every now and then pulling at the sleeves of her coat, so much that only the very tips of her fingers stuck out from her coat. She wasn’t used to the cold weather of Portland, she was jetlagged from her flight from Europe, the reason why she sounded so awake in the middle of the night, and now she was trying not to show her shivering too much.  
‘Show no weakness, show no mercy’ my mother had taught me back in a day. My hand twitched, I tried to discard the thought of turning up the heat in the car. My hand shot out to adjust the temperature; my education got the best of me again.  
I turned the heat up. She noticed and couldn’t help but coyly smile while still looking out of the window.  
“Thank you.” was her only reply. I left it at that.  
______________________________________  
“What do we have Detective Griffin? Burkhardt.”  
“Hello Captain. Body was found by a Mister John Harold. He was walking his dog through the park when he came across the body. He said there was nobody to be seen around, though his dog growled at that bush over there when he got closer to the victim. Possibly something or somebody hiding or leaving the crime scene. The body has been mutilated like the ones we found prior.”  
“Show us.” Captain Cauldron said from behind me, after listening closely to Detective Griffin’s report.  
The scene unfolding in front of us was very much the same as it was with the other victims. This time I had the feeling something was amiss. I couldn’t pin my finger on it yet. Whilst lost in thoughts, trying to put all the pieces together, she started talking.  
“The cuts on her head have very sharp edges. They aren’t frayed. Her hairline was cut very precisely. See...” She pointed to the edges with a pen she had gathered from her coat. “We’ll have to take a closer look at her skull if the tool left any traces there and of what sort and depth. I’d say though that a medical scalpel was used, as you cannot get such fine edges with a bigger blade or knife. The handling is to rough and clumsy. It is surely not anything native American related, taking the scalp as a trophy thingy.”  
“Why do you think so Captain?” Burkhardt asked her, still glued to her lips and everything she said. Like a little puppy, tsk. “That would not have such clear lines and precision. It wasn’t meant to be preserved and back then they didn’t pay any attention to perfectness. The scalp had a spiritual connection. Sometimes as a way to increase fertility. It’s a pretty easy thing to do you know? You just take the head in one hand, knife in the other and cut along the skull downwards. The skin is very delicate and rips easily.” “Urgh, no no thanks for explaining, we get it!” Griffin turned away in disgust. She had a point. “Hmmm… but then blood would be getting everywhere on you and this scene here looks pretty clean. You can even survive being scalped, you know? No... somebody keeps those scalps for another purpose, where he or she needs a very intact skin and hair. The scalp was not ripped off after cutting the skin like any ritual. I have a few options in mind but nothing on point yet. I’ll check some old files and cases, that might be related to the cutting of hair. Huh...she sure was a beauty, poor thing. Left alone in the cold park.” She kneeled besides the corps, gently caressing her cheek. When she noticed me, she pulled away whilst pulling at her coat again.  
“Why a scalpel? Aren’t there any other blades that leave similar marks?” Detective Griffin asked curiously. “Have a look at her right shoulder where it connects to the neck. See…that little cut which bleed so heavily. Her aorta cerebri media was punctured. It lies just under your collarbone and is the elongation of the main aorta. She bled out within mere minutes, poor thing. She was certainly close to death before she was scaped. At least she wasn’t in much pain of that. It’s very easy to access that point with a sharp, yet small…” “Scalpel. Marvelous work Captain.” Burkhardt finished her sentence. “Exactly. One tool for both actions. Very fast and very deadly.” She liked smiling at everybody, huh? Does she want to be most charming colleague of the month or what?  
She took a look around the scene as if searching for something. “I found this hair on the victim. Short, very sturdy, brownish-black in colour. Looks beastly to me. Is that dog still around? Maybe he can take a sniff.” Griffin, Burkhardt Wu and I flinched at the word ‘beastly’. We exchanged a look. Another Wesen-case. There seemed to be only Wesen-related cases here in Portland unfortunately.  
“Mr. Harold is over there.” I pointed to the guy standing next to Sergeant Wu. She turned on her heel and let the dog take a sniff. The dog growled at her.  
“I’m pretty sure it’s a dog hair we found on the lady. Surely not this dog’s hair, he wouldn’t growl at his own scent, now would he? But who would bring a dog to something like that?” she shrugged the thought off.  
My alarm went off. If a Wesen woged and lost a few hair in the process of murdering that woman, what would the DNA-test in our laboratory tell Captain Cauldron? Urgh, why do I refer to her as Captain? I chastised myself.  
“Sergeant. Bring the body to the morgue. Let’s see what they can find.”  
“Sure thing Cap.”  
“Nothing more to do here Detectives. Go home. Let’s see what we can find in daylight. See you tomorrow.” I dismissed them. Going to my car I almost jumped right in on the driver’s seat. I took a halt; half in the car, half outside. “Captain Cauldron.” I beckoned her to join me.  
Half way home I found her to be oddly quiet, more so than on our way to the scene. No rustling, no turning, no pulling at her sleeves. I took a look at her calm face; she was fast asleep. Her steady breath was even and deep. She looked serene like this. All tension gone as she dreamt right beside me in my car. The streetlights and the moon shone on her marble skin. She glowed in the darkness of my car like my personal moon. Strands of her long, copper hair fell into her face, her hands resting on her lap. Her right hand was rapped in a white bandage. She had tried to keep it from me. I was to blame. That morning I ran into her, taking her momentum and sending her and myself to the gravel floor. Because I had designed it that way I wasn’t hurt by the fall. She was on the other hand.  
Regret. It was a feeling not unknown to me but definitely one I kept stored away.

Gosh, why did I even dwell in such thoughts? She is my enemy, the one that wants my position or at least spy on me. Nothing more, never more. Never.

_________________________  
Turning of the engine, she was still asleep in my car. “How to wake her?” I pondered. I went to her door and pulled it open. The cool air hit her as her hand stroke out in direction of my face. I stop her fist just barely in front of my face, feeling the force her blow had and the strength of her muscles in her hand.  
“Easy. We’re back. You fell asleep.”  
Her pupils were dilated, wild brown eyes staring at me. Her warm breath tingling the exposed skin at my neck, as she almost fell out of the car hadn’t the belt stopped her from jumping right into me and out of her seat.  
I recognized the bandage on her hand, I could smell the disinfectant on it and dried blood showed through the bandage here and there. She looked bewildered and with speedy reflexes jumped out of the car and practically ran to her house.  
I shook my head whilst feeling her force in my palm. Her little fist was imprinted into my palm, a phantom feeling of force and strength. 

As I entered my kitchen, I went straight for the decanter with the Scotch in it. Looking at her file on my kitchen counter I pondered. What if she knew about Nick and me? That force she had does not come natural to human beings. Maybe she was Wesen too? I should get her into an emotional state very soon to find out. If that new case was Wesen related too it would end bad if she was neither Wesen nor Kehrseite.  
Images of a snowy France came to my mind. A little girl with a black hood pulled into her face; the noises of a market nearby. A sharp pain in my head clouded my vision all of a sudden, a voice calling for me.  
‘Run, my prince in shining armor. Leave me here! I’ll keep you save long enough!’ I fell to the floor holding my temple in pain.  
A laughter ringing in my ears like the chimes of the churches nearby. Clear and bright.  
The images flooding my mind send me spiraling to the floor, breathing heavily as I could do nothing.  
‘I am doomed anyways. But you have a life to live. Go now! I can’t hold them at bay for much longer!’  
‘You are either coming with me or I’m not leaving! I won’t let you die for my own sake!’ I shouted at the little girl.  
‘Go! Forget about me! Save yourself Sean!’  
‘No!’ the assassins drew closer to us, baring their teeth, scythes shimmering with the sunlight that got caught in their polished surface. She held out one of her small hands to them, dark fog coming from it, keeping them in the distance as if their feet were glued to the ground. The little girl extended her other hand to me as if she was inviting me to take it and pull her along.  
‘You leave me no choice! Then you must forget about me! I am not worth the place in your heart! Live Sean! Forget me.’ she breathed.  
The fog engulfed me as I tried to stay by her side. But my feet disobeyed my will and took me from the battle scene. Each step they took a part of that memory was lost to me. I turned whilst running. She stood like a mirage in the middle of white, powdered ruins. A violent force jerked her head backwards and she crumbled to her feet, the fog slowly dying around her, one last gentle smile playing her round features, the last bit of colour draining from her, eyes rolling back into her head showing only red rimmed slivers of white as she breathed her last stuttering breath. I kept on running, tears running down my cheeks until I finally saw my mother. I had forgotten why I cried. My mother extended her hand to me, taking it, we kept running. No tear ever again left my eyes from that day onwards. Yet the reason why was lost to me.

I found myself in a puddle of Scotch on my kitchen floor, starring at the ceiling with strained pants of air. Tears running down my cheeks.


	4. Enrage me, burn me with thy touch

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Truth is much more terrible than fiction.“ Wilhelm Grimm

Starring at the wooden ceiling I woke up in my living room. I fell face first on my couch this night, succumbing to my long overdue sleep and exhaustion. Images long forgotten had entered my dream last night. To me they felt like a browned and washed-out picture, someone had kept in their pockets for years. Every now and then this picture was unfolded and remembered only to be safely stored away.  
The need of clear and cold air was immanent so I changed into my running gear and popped my headphones on. Before leaving the house, I took a look around the house. The cold air chilled me right to my bones. The forest behind my house was covered in thick fog, morning dew on every bit of the landscape. It glimmered in the uprising sunlight that tried to clear away the damp air and frost.  
I turned the music louder and started head on running into the forest.  
___________________________________  
As I had been taught, the first rule is always having a clear mind, being on guard. It was also the first rule I had violated easily this morning. As I ran through the forest, jumping over fallen trees and roots that covered the mossy floor I felt free and calm. Running cleared my mind and made me focus on myself. It is also good for sorting things out. A murderer always left a trace, a signature, unwillingly but it was always there somewhere. As I kept on running my senses sharpened with every step. Something was approaching me, and rapidly so. I felt the vibration on the floor through and through. The presence of something dark loomed over the forest, making the birds flee their posts high up in the treetops. I took a halt and took of my headphones. Closing my eyes, I breathed in the cold air. Adrenalin and oxygen conquering my senses. The low clouds and dim light weakened my vision. Birds chirping, the cries of owls and other birds breaking through the forest alongside a heavy thump on the wet floor. With immense speed I crossed the short distance to a small clearing inbetween the thick vegetation. Maneuvering myself over a tree trunk I ran as fast as I could closing in on the intruder. Launching myself at my target from the side I jumped like a wild cat, arms outstretched to use the momentum and send my chaser to the floor. As I grabbed onto his shoulders I felt his feet slip on the wet leaves as his legs gave way. We both fell to the mossy floor in the blink of an eye.  
Two eyes, pitch-black, stared at me in confusion. Qu’elle surprise!  
“What the fuck…?” I was now well aware that my pursuer was also my new neighbor, Captain Sean Renard. He tried turning his head sideways immediately, as to hide his face and therefore identity from me. A strange move to behold. I had his arms pinned to the floor. One to each side of his head, holding him by his wrists. My lower body straddling his to keep him in place. Every nerve and muscle in my legs tensed as to keep him right where he was. He looked dumbfounded at me. His face distorted with anger, his thick brows pulled together and all I could see were his pupils. He stared at me in horror, carefully assessing his current situation. A hint of relief crossed his features before changing into anger and rage. Well, who wants to be attacked in a forest anyways? I sure wouldn’t want that. I felt his tense body under mine. His lower abdomen pressing into me as he started pushing himself off of the floor. Man, this guy had muscles. He resisted my grip effortlessly.  
“Uhm, I thought some…thing was chasing me. Offense is the best defense, right?” I tried consoling him and laughed awkwardly. As I thought of our current position more closely, he used the slightest hesitation for his advantage and rolled me over. Now he was on top of me still panting from his morning run. His teeth were gritted together as he spoke: “ I ask again, what…the...hell…is… going…on…here? And I do need a comprehensible explanation this time, or else…”  
He didn’t finish his sentence. His muscles kept me well in place. There wasn’t an inch for me to move or use to my advantage. He was in rage. Oh, how much he must have hated it, that a weakling like me had caught him off-guard sending him spiraling to the floor. I felt the strength his body held in his marble muscles. The smell of the forest and his very own odor hit my nose. Pine trees, resin, sweat and a bit of smoky smell. His hands clutched my wrists so tight that a throbbing had started not long after he had pushed me to the forest floor.  
His face twitched every now and then. He turned just the slightest bit to the side each time. Was something wrong with his face? Was he about to burst into laughter and tried to swallow the feeling? Our moment seemed to linger for an eternity. The warmth of his torso and his legs crept through my clothes, settling into my chilled bones. As if a string was attached to both of us he didn’t pull himself away but leaned down just a bit more with each breath. His warm body opposed a stark contrast to the wet and cold floor.  
Why wasn’t he wearing a shirt? When I left my house the thermometer told me the temperature was just below 7 degrees Celsius. Whilst I became more and more conscious of his shirtless torso, his warm breath on my neck and face made my hair stand on end. I bluntly stared at him in awe, not even giving it a thought or two. He recognized the change from volatile to something heat-ish, his gaze lingered on my bandaged hand for a second and as fast as he had spun me around, he was up on his legs, pulling me with him. Still a gentleman of sorts.  
“You should have your head checked up. Something is going extremely wrong with you.” He spit at me.  
“Next time I won’t let you off so easily. I might even break one of your bones or two, in self-defense. Remember I’ve got more force in my pinky than you got in your whole body.” He turned to leave.  
His words were music to me. I had a lot of energy pent up recently, and I desperately needed relief. Without any warning I jumped at his back pushing him to the ground face first. Landing on all fours and swiftly rolling to his side he ducked my next punch by a hair’s breadth.  
“Tsk. So weak.” Sean charged at me. I tried surprising him by leaning into his attack instead of avoiding it. One of his large hands found my waist, the other my already bruised wrist. With ease he lifted me off the ground, pushing me up and against a tree behind me: “Enough!”  
I saw the excitement in his eyes bright as daylight. He too had repressed his nature far too long. His face twitched. This time he couldn’t care less about it and blankly held my gaze. Our faces were close enough for our noses to almost touch. For a split second my gaze wandered to his lips and back up to his eyes. He seemed to search for something in mine.  
“Didn’t your mommy teach you to always tell the truth?” I whispered. I locked my legs around his waist and arched my back off of the tree making us stumble backwards. I pushed myself with as much force as I could conquer, already missing the touch of his skin and body on me.  
“Come on Seanie, I can call you Seanie right? You enjoy this far more than you like to admit just yet. Merely a little fight to stay in good training as police Captains, what do you say?” I lured him in, circled him like a cat its prey. I liked the way he thought he was mightier than me. No one had ever dared to be outright volatile towards me without regretting it soon afterwards. I usually was feared and avoided by those knowing my true colours.  
A grin spread across my face.  
“So… this is the almighty Captain Sean Renard. Always composed in office but really you just like being in charge, having the upper hand, dominate people-if I may be allowed to guess. We have that in common. Very intriguing!”  
“Don`t you think this is getting you anywhere. You may have more strength than I anticipated first but you really are no match for me. Forgive me if I shall end it here.”  
Fists flew relentlessly at me. I didn’t try to avoid all of them as I voluntarily took a punch to my guts, just to get closer to him. He was keeping me at distance, his mind reeling, planning his next step, thinking about my next step. The air hung heavy around us as we danced. I felt a strange pull towards that mysterious man in front of me.I had only met a man as versatile and strong as him once in my life. Was it admiration for his composure? Was it the sexual tension, which he surely also felt evolving between us? When he had pressed me into the ground, I had felt his immense weight. He was a pack of strong and lean muscles. I had tried to avoid any feeling of attraction but I had never met a man as great yet mysterious as him. He knew his strength, knew how women felt around him, were drawn to him like a moth to the flame-he played with that for his and only his own advantage recklessly. A feeling of wanton and need ached me. I wanted him to burn me into ashes right there and then. Rip off my clothing as I ripped of his, pushing me up against the rough bark of that pine tree once again, claiming me, devouring me with his lips- as I would hungrily devour him. No one would know out here, a little tête-à-tête to silence my desire. I wondered if he could feel it too? I had seen a glimpse of his innermost self, yet as fast as he had lost his wits, he had put his mask back on. Unreadable his demeanor.  
Our fight started out of nowhere, it had ended leaving me trembling, body shaking internally. His rage quieted down slowly.  
He looked me up and down. “See you at the office Captain” he said and turned.  
“You never called me your equal before, Seanie.” I chuckled and followed him, with a little space between us this time.  
_________________________________________  
“Hey Detective Burkhardt. I recalled a case from my time in Nova Scotia. Do you mind if I tell you about it?”  
“Morning Captain. First make sure to call me Nick from now on. Second, go ahead. What do you have?”  
“Okay Nick. I think it was about 6 years ago. There was a quite similar murder series in Nova Scotia. I was called to the crime scene there, as something was strange to my co-workers. A young man was found in a local park. His injuries were different to our victims, but till. The man was also brutally mutilated. His head was scalped as our victims, but his legs and forearms were also skinned. We found it a very gruesome way. As it was a series of murder-cases where only men were killed, I didn’t think of a connection. Our young lady from yesterday was already dead before she was scalped. The men in Nova Scotia were still alive though.”  
“Urgh, what, skinned alive? You serious Captain? Gross.” Hank joined in the conversation.  
“Why do you think this is related then?”  
“Well Nick, both cases included scalping the victim. If we also see this as a sort of trophy-collection where are the similarities? Somebody collects pieces of skin and hair. Female bodies are, and feel free to correct me if you have another opinion about that, more or less ‘hairless’ or at least it doesn’t stand out as much as male body hair. So in our case the only thing worth collecting is the hair on the head. In Nova Scotia the suspect also took the hairiest regions of a man as well; legs and arms.”  
“Makes sense I guess?” I saw gooseflesh appearing all over Hanks forearms. For a Detective in homicide, he was surely one with a weak stomach.  
“Legs and arms are the strongest part of the body here, especially in men. If the scalp of a human can camouflage you or make you more fertile why not go down the line all the way and say you take somebodies strength when taking the hair and skin of arm and legs.”  
“We once had a case where a person’s face was taken to make a mask for a wrestler out of it. He thought that the strength of this person would transfer to him directly, making him win his fights.” Nick now very obviously avoided my gaze. There was no such case in the precinct’s files and he knew very well, that I had ransacked through some of them to do my research for this case.  
“Hank and I are gonna go back to the scene in a few minutes. Ask around if anybody saw or heard something and check if the shops nearby own cameras and can provide some video material. Do you wanna join us Captain?”  
“She’s occupied Detective. Cauldron, may I have a word with you in my office?”  
“Sorry Nick, keep me updated.” I stood up and followed Sean into, as he had stated, ‘his’ office.  
“Close the door.”  
“For you anything Seanie.” I teased him.  
“Captain Renard for you.” He didn’t even over me a seat. As he hung up his coat I took the chair at the desk. His victorious glance changed into a dismissive one when he saw me on his chair. Practically we were supposed to share.  
“Can’t share Seanie? Such a pitty.”  
“I said it’s Captain for you.” He spat his words at me and leaned onto the armrest of the chair, making it move backwards a bit.  
“As it is for you. ” I held his gaze as he stared right at me and beckoned him to have a seat opposite of me. I smiled triumphantly. Silence spread between us. No one was willing to move even by an inch.  
“Nice office we have here. What do you think? Where can my desk go or shall we share this one?”  
Avoiding my question he sighed and looked out of the window behind me. I felt the heat of his body radiating towards me. Before I was lured by him again I took the advantage to talk.  
“Look, we’ve got two options here. Either you and I can finally act professional and do our job, or I can go on teasing you until you won’t stand it anymore and explode, Seanie.”  
He inhaled a deep breath. “Okay, Prince of Darkness. Is that a more fitting name to call you? Whatever. I really enjoyed our encounter this morning. Haven’t had a good fight since long. That thing between us might be beneficial for both of us. Being a Captain can diminish your fighting-abilities if they aren’t used regularly.”  
“You think a little minx like you can so easily break me? Tsk. You have no clue who you are threatening here. Tell me, why is there no reference about a Kara Cauldron in any database? Kara Cauldron didn’t even exist until a few years ago.”  
“Oh now we’re going down that path already, aren’t we huh? I’m in no database because I died. Afterwards I created Kara Cauldron, which is by the way short for Kassandra, my last name I made up. What is it you need to know and haven’t found out already? According to the file of me on your computer you know about my time in Nova Scotia, Europe and surely about my cat Lillith as well. What else do you want to know? My parents are both dead. I’ve got no family-no wait- I have a brother but he doesn`t know about me. If he remembers me, he would surely think I’m dead. I was born in Rhinebeck, New York on March 18th 1984. I’ve quite forgotten my parents’ names. Hmmm. I remember a sibling being two years my senior. Or maybe I’m mixing that up with my foster family, hmmm? I died on my tenth birthday due to a genetic disease in a small town in Europe, that’s for sure. Can’t remember the name of the clinic either. I should have that checked soon, maybe a cerebral damage or something. And…”  
“Enough!” All the detectives outside sat up straight, knowing their Captain was now angry.  
“Hey, you wanted to know. I didn’t say that this would be good fairytale to tell. Really it is quite the opposite. More like that freaky Krampus Christmas tale than a…”  
“I said enough. Enough of your lies, your game. I won’t play it.”  
“Oh Seanie but you are already playing along.” I stood up and caressed his cheek gently with my hand, running up his sharp jawline to just under his right eye. He flinched and stopped my hand with his, this time he did not move away even though this intrusion of his personal space made him crazy.  
“Zeig keine Schwäche, zeig keine Gnade. That’s all I need from you. Can you do that for me please?” I purred these last words at him. I saw the veins in his strained neck pulsing and throbbing in agony. He planned his next step very carefully unlike this morning, when his rage had come through unhindered. He nodded.  
“Good. I’ll go and join Hank and Griffin and see if we can find anything new. The file I have of you should be in your inbox. Have a look at it if you care.”  
I closed the door behind me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translation  
> "Zeig keine Schwäche, zeig keine Gnade." German for "Show no weakness. Show no mercy."


	5. Through the looking glass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “For, you see, so many out-of-the-way things had happened lately, that Alice had begun to think that very few things indeed were really impossible.”  
> ― Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland / Through the Looking-Glass

I exited the office, leaving Sean alone with himself. The air in the office was still tensed. They had heard and probably seen quite a big chunk of what happened in the office. I could feel the gazes on my back. Hank and Nick looked at me, their gazes showing appreciation for my actions and respect towards their new Captain.   
„So Nick, Hank. Anything new in our case? Have you already checked if there’s any surveillance? Stopping looking at me like this from underneath your lashes. I don’t have to go to such expanses with you. You have both treated me with respect. That`s all I asked from Seani…Captain Renard.“  
„We still need to check the nearby shops. The closest being ‚Lovely …charms‘ just a few meters away from the park were the body was found.“  
„Hihi, ‚Lovely charms‘. Is this some kind of sex shop?“ Hank wondered, a wide and bright smile spread across his face. Nick rolled his eyes.  
„Let’s go then, check it out. But first…tea. There’s also a coffee shop in that same alley. Maybe they too have surveillance. And tea…“  
„Lovely charms…hihi.“ Hank giggled.  
„Stop it Hank!“ Nick scolded and grabbed his jacket. Whilst the three of us left the office, Captain Renard finally sat down in his chair, his gaze following us. It bore into my back; I had set free the beast within him. Good.

______________________________________________  
„Uhhh such a gentleman you are Hank. Thank you.“ the door opened with a creak.   
„My pleasure Cap. For the ladies I’d do almost anything.“ Hank replied and bowed his head.  
„What do you want to drink? I’m buying.“ I replied.  
„Coffee, black with double sugar. Thanks.“   
„Hank?“  
„Cappucino grande por favor.“  
I raised an eyebrow. „Mixing up italian beverages with Spanish language. Well done Hank.“ I shook my head. „And…I…will have… toooo… go along with that. Yep, just a coffee shop, no tea. At least none I like.“   
Hank and Nick looked out of the big window that stretched across the whole wall behind us, examining the area. The park lay under a thin layer of morning dew. Small, icy crystals had formed on the branches of the trees, the sun slowly rising behind medium-high buildings. It was a serene place, a few people busying themselves. Some of them did their morning run, unaware or disregarding of the events that previously took place there. It was easier to sometime close yourself from the cruelty than to give in to the fear. I thought about our victim. She was one of them a few days ago, maybe walking that very way every day, without even knowing of the threat that followed on her heels.  
„Hey, ‘xcuse me. That shop down the road. ‚Lovely…‘?“  
„Charms? What about it?“ The waitress replied, not lifting her head up from pouring the milk into one of the cups.  
„Yeah right, Lovely Charms. I’m new in town and my friends over there said it was a great shop. Though they wouldn’t answer me what they sell. I…uhm…haha…you know don’t want this to get…weird. Do you know if they…uhmmm…sell certain kind of toys? I really don’t want to get into an awkward situation with my friends over there. They’re all lovey-dovey and all and constantly tell meI need to loosen up a bit. That gives me chils.“

„Oh no, no, no. Haha. Don’t worry. They sell jewellery and such. No sex toys or something.“  
„Puh, now I am glad. I had already wondered why they wanted to take me along. I’d say I hardly know them. Met them just a couple of weeks ago in a bar. Thought they were a cute couple and all. If you know what I mean.“  
2they’re gay.” I whispered, leaning just ever so slightly over the counter.  
She nodded understandingly. “Urgh with that nasty murder just a few days ago a girl can’t be save enough. Don’t want this to end kinda weird and dangerous in a sex-shop.” Her gaze went wide ever so slightly, hands shaking while she tried to compose herself. A sideway glance to her boss’ office behind the bar and the smell of fear were added to my reminder-list in my head. She was utterly afraid of the topic. Was she afraid of getting hurt out there or did it have something to do with her boss. Maybe I’d be interrogating this lady sooner than I had initially thought. And her boss too.

„This shop is pretty great, the things they sell are beautiful and are said to have mystics powers, if you believe in that. But…the shop owner is a little strange, creepy at times. But many people do recommend buying the jewellery from there. Just, watch out. I mean. With those new friends of yours. Such a beauty as you shouldn’t be out with people she hardly knows.“  
„Okay thanks, got that. Don’t worry. I’ll make sure I’m safe. „  
„Okay, well then here is your order. Have a nice day. Bye.“  
„You too. Bye.“  
I handed the coffee to Nick and Hank. As I started to repeat what the waitress had just said we hurried along the alley. I had a strange sensation washing over me. They sold love charms, mystical jewellery with magical powers. What is this- freaking Diagon Alley?   
„Okay here it is.“ A sign swung in the cold breeze. Big, Edwardian letters with floral patterns read „Lovely Charms- Owner: Luna Amorada“ Ha ha, what a pun indeed. Inhaling deeply, I beckoned Nick and Hank inside. This time Hank also held the door open and I entered after Nick.  
„Good morning. It is hardly ever that I have such gentlemanly customers here. Holding the door open for your partner. Hello, I am Luna and I own this shop, what can I do for you two lovebirds? You sure have some vibes swirling about you.“  
Diagon Alley with Dolores Umbridge owning a shop. The lady’s voice had a high and very disturbingly false pitch. She had ended all her sentences with a shriek and a squeak. Yuck.  
„Hello, hi. These are my friends and they are looking for something to remind them of their love for each other. But it shall not be too obvious to others. They are quiet shy amongst people to admit to their unique friendship.“ I mimicked her way of talking to appease her and distract her from the fact, that Hank was just about to show her his badge when we came into the shop. His mouth wide open to my way of interrogation he closed it soon after, giving us a pretentious smile. I really had to swallow down the bile that tried to come up from talking in a nonsensical and very much passive-aggressively sweet way. Nick slightly gaped, first unsure what I was trying to do but eventually he played along too.  
„Uhh so cute and shy. Of course, we have something that doesn’t give away our lovebirds here quite so easily. What about a necklace with our most commonly-known love charms? Very subtle and they won’t show underneath shirts and such.” Nick and Hank were at loss for words. She sensed their lack of interest in her product and took a look around, searching for a fitting option. My gaze was drawn to the pay desk. On a black velvet stand there were tiny bracelets, made from delicate strings with only one charm dangling from them. Realization hit me: Our last victim had worn such a thing too. It was an object so small that the policeman had disregarded it to “a girl’s accessories”. So, she was here and had bought one of these bracelets. Maybe even before she had met her untimely death in the park nearby. “Ahh your friend has an eye for things, I see. Good pick darling. Our tiny love bracelets might be just the thing for you. They come in a variety of natural colours and are made from the best, silky, organic material. A little magic goes into them as well. We also have a discount on them. Buy two get one free. Couples love them. I sell one every day a least. They’re our box-office hit. “She presented the stand to us.   
„What material are they made of? So shiny. “Hank asked playing with one of them in between his fingers.  
„Uhh that’s a company secret. If an allergy worries you then don’t worry. It’s made of an organic material, no nickel or metal in it. “ she laughed and snorted nervously, taking the bracelet from Hank and putting it back on the stand.  
Something smelled fishy here. In the backroom the hammering noises had ended. Somebody was taking a break from work. Luna’s gaze wandered off every now and then to the room in the back. The silence spread like a thick blanket over the shop. No sound to be heard except her breathing. Luna tried to swallow back the lump in her throat. Her mouth, still smiling, was twitching at the corners of her mouth. She tried really hard to keep her composure. It felt off more so than her babbling   
“I think we might not find anything today. We’ll think about it and come back later. Thank you.”  
“Yeah, thank you very much. See ya.” We left the shop. A cold shower running down my spine; my intuition kicking in, telling me to keep an eye on that shop for now. A few meters around the corner Nick grabbed my wrist making me come to a halt.   
“Hey Cap. What was that about? The whole couple-thingy and all? I thought we went there for investigation and surveillance? Do you have anything on her?”  
“Not sure Nick. I think our last victim wore one of those bracelets. Just, yeah, I have to check again back at the morgue. And from there oooooooon… I don’t know. Dead end so far. But she sure knows something. Did you see her glance to the back room after the working noises had stopped? As if it stopped so somebody else could listen in on out conversation.”  
“I saw that too. And why the whole thing about not telling us what the bracelets are made of? Are there any illegal thread versions she has used? Is there even such a thing?” hank replied.  
“Not that I’m aware of Hank. Something is off there for sure, I just don`t know if it is random or related to the case.” Behind Nick and Hank the shop sign was turned on ‘Closed’. A small figure showed behind the glass of the door looking from side to side. I pulled Hank and Nick into a nearby alley as the coffee shop door across the park changed their sign to ‘Closed’ as well, at 9am. It smelled terribly fishy here now.   
“Let’s see if we can get any more information about that jewellery and coffee shop and the owner’s behind that. Maybe a new lead will pop up. Come on guys.”  
Hank and Nick nodded.  
____________________________________________________________________________  
„So, Nick, what do you suggest us to do next?” I inquired.   
“Well, I think…” as Nick started Wu interrupted him mid-sentence.  
“Cap, Nick, Hank we have a person here, Maria Perez. She said she might have seen something in the park. She was on her way home from her daughter’s place. She took care of her grandchildren that night whilst her daughter and son-in-law were out for dinner. Who’s gonna interview her?”  
“Give it to me Wu.” Nick extended his hands towards the file Wu had held in his hands. The door behind us opened and the Captains shoe’s clicked on the floor.   
“Captain Cauldron. A word please?” His hand extended towards his open office door I passed hi and straight into his office. Without hesitation I started my report. No awkward silence shall spread.  
“I had a talk with the lady behind the bar of the coffee shop. She didn’t here ore see much except for the things on TV and in the news. Though I got the impression that her boss smells kinda fishy. She got frightened, talking about the murder case in the park and stole a glance to the back of the shop. When we had finished talking and left the shop she was called to his office. The owner of that jewellery shop ‘Lovely Charms’, Luna Amorada. Well, what’s to say about her. It surely isn’t her real name and she too smells fishy too me. Wu told me she runs this shop with her husband, who was in the back forging whatever it is he was working on. The noises stopped all of a sudden when we asked a random question about the material of a bracelet. It was strange. After we had left the vicinity the shop closed, at 9am. That’s frankly suspicious.” I looked at him with big eyes, as I had finished my report. He looked at me, head cocked slightly sideways, still standing broad and tall in the doorway. “Good. Bring them here for interrogation if you see fit Captain.”  
“Oh wow. Okay, well then sure. Yes, Wu will make the call asap.”  
I went for the door turning the knob and holding it in place. My back towards him I felt him come to a halt. He must have been less than eleven inches away from me. His looming height and the warmth of his body radiating towards me, goosebumps appearing unseen on my neck. I recalled our forest-fight. His smell of sweat and musk now mixed with his cologne and hairproducts.   
“You thought I would go down the hill, interrupting you, not letting you finish your report right? Why? Do you deem me so impolite?”  
“Yes and sorta. Getting to get to know you better through work helps, I guess. Are you in for the interview with Mrs. Perez?” Obviously, he was, why would he have been right on my heels if he wasn’t. Stupid me. His arm came into view above my head as he took a step even closer to me. His chest now brushing my back. The sudden contact make me leap and I stumbled back against him.  
“If you keep holding the door closed shut we shall never make it to the interview.” I swallowed hard. He played with me now, his voice slow and deep as the rumbling sound of thunder as he had leaned down closer to my ear. I could swear I heard him grin in victory as I took a step outside the room and followed his lead to the interrogation room. Nick was already inside with Mrs. Perez who had brought her youngest son along with her.   
“Nick might need some help in there Cap. The son is not very cooperative and silences his mother every now and then when she was about to give out the private gossip.” Hank said sticking his head out of the observation room.  
“He means you Captain Cauldron.” Sean, Wu and Hank went inside the observation room.  
“Oh, and this is Captain Cauldron. These are Maria Perez and her son Miguel. I just asked Mrs. Perez if she saw the attacker.”  
“My mum didn’t see anything. Is she a suspect or why do we need a Captain in here?” He crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back in the chair that creaked in response to the stretch.  
“Miguel, mi amor. Calm down. I want to talk to them, so let me talk!”   
The interview went on for about 15 minutes. I jotted down all the information which Mrs. Perez was willing to give us. Any little clue could have been of help later.  
__________________________________________________________________  
“Okay last question Mrs. Perez. Have you heard anything weird about that little shop called ‘Lovely charms’? The shop owner Luna Amorada sold one of her bracelets to our victim and we wanted to know if this might be a lead in our case.”  
Miguel sat up straight in his chair. His mother swallowed hard; her words came now frantic as she seemed to fight of a bad feeling of fear.  
“Mrs. Perez. If there is somebody threatening you or your family, we can guarantee you protection. That poor woman was out at night, just like you when you went home from your daughter’s and some vile creature decided to end her young life in the cruellest way. What if it was somebody you are very close to huh? Don’t you think the information you have are worth sharing with the police?”  
I tried to get her talking again, police protection wasn’t always the best. Usually a car in front of your house. Maybe a police officer in civil clothing following you on your heels but these people usually lacked the right amount of sincerity and interest.   
“Enough, the only protection we need is from you! You are the only monster in here!” Miguel stood up pointing towards Nick and myself.  
Mrs Perez tried to soothe her son but he was long over the edge of being calm.   
“If we tell you they’ll kill us next. If we don’t tell you, the Grimm will kill us! Either way we’re dead!” he shouted as Nick’s eyes flew open wide, he looked at me in disbelief, then at Miguel and back to me. I shook my head gave Nick a puzzled look. This Miguel was going mad in here. He was fuming, breathing hard as if the air was stolen from his lungs. His face turned into a grimace and pained expression. He closed his eyes for a brief moment. When he opened them, they were a deep sea with a raging storm rolling towards Nick and myself.  
“Oh my god! No, no NOOOOO! Leave us be you monster! Oh my gosh noooo, please.” His head swung from left to right, from right to left searching for an exit. As he found non a loud yell passed his lips and he leapt towards us. His grandmother jumped from her chair in anguish, her face full of fear as she clutched her purse tightly to her body, her nails digging in the soft leather, knuckles turning white. My elbow connected with Miguel’s lower abdomen right away as he leapt towards Nick, now for real stealing the air from his lungs. Mrs Perez sprung up from her corner, fleeing to the only door of the room as I pinned her son to the floor. He wiggled underneath me like a snake in a deathgrip.  
“Nick? Nick! Hey, easy now champ. Nobody is going to hurt you, unless you stop making a scene for nothing here!” Hank and Wu came running inside taking him from my grasp and out of the room. Their eyes wide in shock as their skills told them to stay as calm as possible, to not worsen the situation. I went for Nick first, his eyes bore into me, pupils wide from the shock.  
“Nick? Nicky? Are you okay Nick?” I rested my hand upon his arm giving him a light squeeze.   
“What? Yeah, yeah just took me by surprise. I…uhm…probably never had a normal interview with a witness turning out this violent. That`s what the bad guys do when they are in for interrogation. Sorry, I wasn`t much of a help to you just now Captain.”  
“Haha, really? You work in the PD and something like this takes you by surprise?” I turned to address the elderly woman who was standing close to Sean. He had a hand on her shoulder and was talking in a quiet tone to her, to appease her I guessed. “Mrs. Perez, the officers will keep Miguel for the time he needs to calm down. He won’t be charged for this. I guess he was just stressed out by the situation. He’ll be home in a few hours okay? Here let me show you outside.” I lead her outside the room. When my hand connected with her back, as I lead her out of the room, she jumped a bit and settled her demeanour back. Sean looked at Nick, searching for an answer he couldn’t find.   
“Detective Burkhardt, a word please.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here it is. This chapter was a pain in the ass to write really. Work has gotten the best of me lately, so I hope I will upload a little sooner from now on. Maybe even this weekend. Next chap is almost done. It's gonna be steamy and crazy that`s for sure. I think I tagged slow burn in this work, didn`t I? Well, it`s a pain to read at times and a pain to write as well. Maybe I'll go a little faster, as I do want to finsih my ongoing murder case before chapter 10.  
> Stay tuned and thanks for reading 
> 
> (I am sometimes a blind bat. I will correct any spelling mistakes that passed my conciousness as soon as I detect them ;) Sry if there are any I sometimes don't see the forest for the trees)
> 
> Cheerio my friends


	6. Behind closed doors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “We don’t believe, we only fear.”  
> Stories We Tell Our Young, Brother's Grimm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A huge thank you goes out to Grimmster who was so kind as to point out my major mistakes in the chapter I posted (waaaay to rashly) two weeks ago. That shitty system dared to cancel out my italics and made reading this new chapter a pain in the ass. If you had started reading that and had encountered the same issues I am truly sorry. I deleted it to work it over so you can have a better reading experience. If you ever encounter any mistakes please be so kind and point them out to me. I really want to write a piece of literature that's enjoyable. This chapter is a little shorter now though cause I separated it into two parts. Fingers crossed that the system likes me better now. As usual I only own the plot and my OFC. Every other character and storyline is not mine. Have fun everyone.

Closing the door behind Detective Burkhardt I ran for the shaders. As I pulled the string to close them, I stopped halfway. That would be too obvious for Captain Cauldron, I thought to myself.

“What do we do now Captain?”

“Hmm. Let me get my thoughts straight first Nick. When Miguel addressed you as a Grimm she seemed a little dumbfounded. Maybe purposefully. But then Miguel woged right in front of you. It’s like she either didn’t see him in full woge or …”

“She saw him and either knows about wesen or behold is a Grimm herself.” Nick started pacing nervously around my office. Kara wasn’t to be seen outside still.

_Think Sean, think!_

“I think so too. I got an idea.” Nick dialled a number on his phone. “Hey Monroe, it’s Nick. I have an urgent request.”

I heard Monroe reply, his voiced sounded strained. “Hey Nick, Rosalie and I are at the OB-Gyn right now. Can you wait for maybe half an hour? I’ll call you back?”

“No Monroe, it’s urgent I’m afraid. We had an interview here just minutes ago and the guy woged in front of me and our new Captain!”

“Dude, what? Wait, I’ll go get to a quiet place. Okay, I can talk now. You need to call the Council and report this. Woging in front of humans is illegal, as you know very well. What will you do about your Captain?”

“Monroe, it was like she didn’t see anything at all. Is such a thing even possible? Being Kehrseite with a blind eye to Wesen?” Nick could have been right, I thought. I had never heard of such a possibility myself, but after Juliette became Eve I had a more open mind to things.

“Not that I am aware of, but hey. Weird things happen all the time. Maybe she’s Wesen too and that’s why she didn’t care much? Or….oh. Oh no. I know what you are thinking about. Dude, do you really think she is a Grimm? That would be, I don’t even know what that would be.” Monroe went silent on the phone, as did Nick. I could see his thoughts racing, trying to figure out the options and the worst outcome of this. Like a stormfront suddenly erupts into thunder and lightning, Captain Cauldron burst into my office. Nick nearly dropped his phone, eyes wide in shock as Kara stormed in, without paying any attention whatsoever.

“Hey Captain, Nick. Miguel Perez arrived safely in the cell. He’s calming down aaaaand am I interrupting? Oh sorry, I…uhmm…come by later?” She turned on her heel and was about to leave as fast as she came. I interrupted her action.

“That’s fine Captain. Detective Burkhardt and I wanted to talk to you anyways. Please, stay.” She turned around again, addressing Nick now, who was still holding his phone tight in one hand. Monroe’s voice coming through babbling about Nick still being alive and shouting _Hello_ numerous times into the phone. “I….I’ll call you later Monroe.” Nick hung up, his eyes wide with shock after Kara’s sudden intrusion.

Kara switched looking at Nick and me, as if she tried to recollect what had preceded. She put up a smile as if that would have the power to change the atmosphere. Pathetic. Her blabbering started right away. I noted to myself, that Kara hated the silence and almost instantly starts conversations to end it. She liked being in control and hated losing it.

“That was a ride, puh. I rarely come across such explosive…witnesses? What the hell was wrong with that guy? Don’t worry Nick. It wasn’t your fault. I know you’ve being putting yourself through the shits. Nobody got hurt. Well he might have some pain in his guts right now, but you know…not seriously, fatally wounded. What? Are you both under shock still? Hey, it happens. Well, maybe not in Portland but people can get crazy at times. I know what I am talking about, believe me.”

Silence spread around us, like a thick blanket. Nick and I exchanged a few meaningful gazes. I guess it was my turn then, because Nick seemed to be utterly helpless to do anything. “Ni…Detective Burkhardt. Cany you give us a minute please?” I asked him in a very calm manner, that surprised even me. Nick was a tough guy, with a comment on his lips to everything and anything. Always. Now his brain was mushy, his wits gone. No sharp mind or tongue. Weak human beings, even for a Grimm. Nick nodded to me and left the office.

“Captain Cauldron. What you saw may have been shocking to you. Unusual or unnormal maybe.” Before I could go on talking, she interrupted me, making me furious. How rude she could be. “Unusual? What’s unusual about a guy going from zero to beast?” She gave me the confused look all over. I was confused too. I sensed no lie in her words, saw nothing but bravery in her eyes. There was no fear of the Wesen she had just encountered. Did she really not see anything? Was that even a possibility?

“Can you describe what you saw. Describe the scene to me please from your point of view?” I leaned back onto my desk, hands resting on the corner of the desk as I leaned backwards. “You saw it too, right? Well, if I must. I saw a guy and his mother talking about our case and what Mrs Perez may have seen in the park. A cranky man, who woke up on the wrong side of his bed this morning. He closed himself in, he was afraid of whatever or whoever was in the park or in the room t that moment. Then he snapped and tried to attack Detective Burkhardt. I went in between them. End of the story. What is wrong here Seanie? Sorry Captain Renard. This was but a little incident and you all act like I had put a porcupine in a hot tub with you. Why do you ask me that? What did you see in there?”

She was clueless. Utterly clueless.

“Okay, can you tell me what Mr Perez meant by Grimm?” I asked her taking the risk.

“What? Why would that be interesting for our case? Fine, if I must. A Grimm: William and Jacob Grimm were German illustrators and writers of the most famous folktales, like, ever. I didn’t believe you had no knowledge in literacy history. So what? We had a maniac here who likes fairytales from Germany. So what?” I still had the feeling that something was off with her story. My senses had never betrayed me before, and I was perfectly capable of detecting a liar. She hadn’t lied to me, but I still had bad vibes about her answer.

“Hmm maybe an allogy? What do you think Seanie? By calling Nick a Grimm does he mean Nick invents his own tales, and that there was no truth in what he had said about the case in the park? I don’t know really. Shall I ask Perez what he meant by that Captain?” Her voice sounded like the warm sunshine that poured in through the window behind me. If she was lying she was a hell good at it, cause even for me as a Zauberbiest with heightened senses it sounded true.

“No that`s fine. We just leave it at Mr Perez had a bad moment.” _What steps do I have to take next?_

Lost in thought Kara turned and was about to leave the office again. My mind raced, pondering on the options I had from here on.

_Call the Council and report? What will they do to Kara then? Not an option. Leaving it at that? No, if she’s a foe not an ally, we’ll be in big trouble. Going for it and finding out myself?_

I took a deep breath and braced myself. “Kara.” She stopped in her tracks. “Yes, Sean.” “I need to go over the evidence we have of the case. Can you come to my place at 8 pm to help me out? Maybe we forgot something. The answer has to be in the files.” “See you at 8 then.” She smiled and left. Was that the best idea Sean? A major headache started to form in my head.

_________________________________________________________

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's got to Sean's place, late in the evening, just the two of them, shall we? Stay tuned for the next chapter and some....action ;)


End file.
